


Stranded for Solstice

by Ardwynna



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Food, Healing, Humor, M/M, Stranded, TLC, generic winter holiday, gory injury, mostly by zack, terrible singing, without winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 13:00:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21850036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ardwynna/pseuds/Ardwynna
Summary: Transports blow up. Things wash ashore. Think of it as an unplanned vacation.
Relationships: Zack Fair/Sephiroth
Comments: 11
Kudos: 81
Collections: FF7 Secret Santa 2019





	Stranded for Solstice

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kitsunebaba](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitsunebaba/gifts).



“So,” Zack said, “this is nice.”

There was no response. Ocean waves rushed in to fill the space. 

“Seph,” he tried again, “I said, this is nice.”

There was a heavy sigh from the sand beside him. “I suppose.”

“Aw, don’t be like that,” Zack said. “Look at us. Just two guys, lying on golden sand, with the warm sun and the sea, and not a damn care in the world. It’s nice, right?”

“I’m missing half my foot.”

“The fuck?” Zack sat up.

A trail of blood streamed down to the ocean from Sephiroth’s left boot. The entire front was missing. The rest clung in shreds to the remaining stump of his foot. Sephiroth himself lay back on the sand, sword in hand, looking quite at peace with the situation. 

“Oh, god, Seph, your foot,” Zack said, waving his hands. “Hang on, I got cure materia.”

“It’s quite alright, Zack.”

“Wait. Maybe some supplies washed up. If I pour a potion on it, do you think it would help?”

“I’ll be fine, Zack.”

“How did this even happen?” Zack said, racing up and down the beach, kicking over one bit of rubble, then another. “Those boots are steel-toed.”

“But not steel middled,” Sephiroth said. “It’s alright, Zack, this isn’t the first time I’ve had a foot blown off.”

Zack froze. “WHAT?”

Sephiroth sighed. “Volume, Zack.” He shifted a bit on the sand as if attempting to rise, but thought better of it. “That’s what steel toed boots are meant to do. Keep the chunk of your foot safe so there’s enough left to reattach.”

Zack’s face fell. He glanced down at his own boots, and Sephiroth’s bleeding stump. “Gross.”

“Yes.”

“But that means we have to find your foot!” Zack looked around the beach, littered with the remains of the cargo. “It could be anywhere.”

“It’s in the water.”

“Uh, you mean out there?”

“Yes. The waves are bringing it in.”

“Wait, you know where your foot is?”

“Half a foot, and yes.” Sephiroth lifted an arm and pointed. “It’s about five meters in that way.”

“Uh, okay.” Zack scratched his head. “Meters, how much is that again?” he mumbled. “Oh shit, Seph, did you see that?”

“See what Zack”

“That shadow in the water. There’s sharks in there, Seph.”

Seph lifted his head, narrowing his eyes at the swell of the waves. “Well, you better hurry then.”

“But I haven’t found my sword yet.”

“Just bop them on the nose, Soldier, they’ll go away.”

“Have you done that before too?”

“I did have a life before we met, Zack.” Sephiroth set his head back on the sand and breathed quietly through his open mouth. Deep and slow, deep and slow. 

Uh, okay. I’m gonna fish for your foot then,” Zack said, bouncing into the water. “You just sit there and… try not to lose too much blood.”

He made two goes at it before shucking off his own boots and tossing them backwards into the sand. “Can’t wade in these things,” he said. The second one landed next to Sephiroth’s head.

“Watch it,” Sephiroth said.

“You watch it,” Zack said, stripping down to his shorts. “You’re missing a show here.” He wiggled his butt in Sephiroth’s direction. Sephiroth dropped his head back down to the sand, but not fast enough. “Aha, don’t hide it. I saw that smile. You’re loving this.”

“My foot, Zack, if you please. You can’t make my toes curl if I don’t have any.”

“Whoa. Did you just flirt back? Like, in daylight?” Zack stared. He could still see the little hint of a smile on Sephiroth’s cheeks. “ Okay you just sit right there, I’m gonna get your foot back from whatever shark is snacking on it, because you are clearly suffering from major blood loss, and the endorphins are screwing with your brain and stuff.”

He waded in deeper, like the salt makers south of Gongaga, gathering their buckets full of water. The sharks up close were barely two feet long and inclined to avoid the Soldier. “Hey, we’re in luck, these are just baby sharks.”

“Doo doo doo,” Sephiroth said wearily from the sand.

“Well, fuck.” Zack said. “Yeah, foot, foot, gonna find that foot. Shoo, fishies.”

“A little more to the left. Your left.”

“Hey, so is this like some kind of tracking implant Shinra implanted?” Zack said, keeping up the patter, keeping Sephiroth awake. “Or is it just, you know, one of those things you do?”

“Thing,” Sephiroth said. It was so quiet that if not for Soldier enhancements, Zack wouldn’t have heard it above the surf. 

“Shit,” he muttered, digging beneath the water, running his fingers through the sand. Twice he thought he found something but the first was just a piece of the life raft and the second was a lobster. 

“Crap!” he said.

“Dinner,” Sephiroth said. 

“Hey, you’re right,” Zack said, tossing the thing to dry land. “Don’t run off now.”

“I won’t,” Sephiroth said. 

Then Zack’s hand brushed upon scorched leather and blast-worn steel. He scooped it up. “This looks like it was a boot once.” He looked inside and instantly regretted it. “So, I found your foot.” He gagged a little. There was a piece of bone sticking out.

He stumbled out the water in his hurry. “Aw, hell, do we even have any ice to put this on? Can I borrow your materia?”

“No ice,” Sephiroth said. “Just bring it here.”

“Okay. If you’re sure.” Zack approached, holding the thing at arm’s length.

“Now shake it out,” Seph said, “and stick it back.”

“Um, Seph? Maybe you hadn’t noticed, but I haven’t quite finished medical school yet. I’m pretty sure this goes beyond take ‘two potions and call me in the morning’.” 

“No potion,” Sephiroth said. “No cure. Just stick it back on.” 

He looked so pale Zack didn’t argue anymore. Zack shook the ragged front part of the foot out, and held it with a pincer grip by the big toe. He knelt down and put it to the stump. “What now, should I get the materia or- Holy crap!”

Fleshy outgrowths crawled from stump to chunk, reclaiming the salted flesh. Zack let go, scrambling backwards on the sand. Vessels and tendons reached towards each other, bridging gaps. Skin grew over the raw ends, sore and red, then sickly pale. Bone white toes gained color and wriggled. In under two minutes, Sephiroth had a perfectly normal, healthy-looking foot, sticking out of the back half of a blown-up boot. 

“That’s nasty,” Zack said. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s cool and all, but that was the grossest thing I have seen in the history of everything.”

“Really.” Sephiroth said, breathing a bit easier on the sand. “I’ve seen Hojo naked.”

Zack stared, then flopped back on the sand next to Sephiroth. “You win. Again.” He turned his head sideways to keep an eye on Sephiroth. “You feeling better? Not going into shock or anything?”

“I’m fine, Zack. I wasn’t in much danger. My body was just slowing down to focus on healing.”

“Healing, huh?” Zack said. 

“Yes. If you hadn’t found my foot, I’d have had to grow a new one from scratch.”

Zack satred back at the blue sky above. “Okay then,” he squeaked. “How much mako I gotta get before I can do that?”

Sephiroth blinked, and the last trace of smile left his cheeks. “There’s a bit more to it than that.”

“Huh. You gonna be okay though, right?”

“I expect so,” Sephiroth said, closing his eyes. “I just need a little rest.”

“Yeah, I could use a nap too,” Zack said. He was quiet for all of ten seconds. “Hell of a day, huh? First the ship, then the life raft.”

“Yes,” Sephiroth said, half-dozing .

“I guess we’ll need to find fresh water,” Zack said. “But it’s green enough back there, I’m sure something will turn up.”

“Yes,” Sephiroth said. 

“I hope we find coconuts. I love coconuts. And mangoes. You never get the really good ones in Midgar.”

“Yes.”

“And we’ll have to cook that lobster. Where is it? Oh, there you are, boy. No, don’t run away. I’m planning to be hungry later.”

“Yes.”

“Seph.”

“Yes.”

“You’re not even listening to me.”

“Yes.”

“Well, I appreciate the confirmation.” Zack made an exaggerated huff and turned his back to Sephiroth. “The romance is gone, I tell ya, gone.”

Sephiroth said nothing, but a hand reached out and rested on Zack’s hip, telling him all he needed to know. He wriggled into the touch and settled in on the warm sand, considering napping for real this time. A sudden thought jerked him awake. “What if they don’t find us before Solstice? We’re going to miss the parties!”

“What?”

“And the presents! And the FOOD!”

“We’ll fish,” Sephiroth said, stirring a little. “Shark meat is tasty.”

“I can’t eat a baby shark, Seph.”

“Why not?” Sephiroth said. “Eat them before they eat you.”

“But they’re so cute. Besides, there’s possibly more lobster. Hey. You. Stop running.”

“Let him go, Zack. We can get something else.”

“Yeah, but what about Solstice dinner? Coconuts and mangoes don’t cut if for me. Maybe as a fancy side dish or something.”

“We won’t be here that long, Zack. I’m sure they’re already looking.”

“If you’re sure.” 

“I’m sure,” Sephiroth said with a sigh. “They never let me out of their sights for long.”

“Oh. Oh!” Zack bounced up. “Well, in that case, we oughta celebrate. Nothing like a little freedom, right? You rest up, I’ll be right back.”

***

Sephiroth woke to the smell of roasting fish.

Zack gave him a grin. “Hey, sleeping beauty, you all healed up?”

Sephiroth sat up. “I think so.” He wavered a little. 

“Here, here, you need fluids,” Zack said, shoving cut coconut in his hand. “We lucked out. This place is awesome.”

Sephiroth sniffed the drink before sipping, and eyed the fish on the fire. Kingfish, by the look of it. Good eating. “Did you find mangoes?”

“Did I ever?” Zack said, stepping aside to show the bounty. “You were right, there’s a stream in there. And there’s bananas, and mountain apples and plantains, and june plums. You can have those, I never much liked them. It’s like eating velcro. And there’s fish. And crabs. If we’re still stuck here for Solstice we’re going to have a seafood special, just you wait. _They’ll be doing alright, with a Solstice of white, but we’ll have a green, green Solstice._ ”

“As long as by green, you don’t mean loco weed,” Sephiroth said. He leaned back on one elbow and sipped his coconut.

“Good stuff, eh?” Zack said. “Nature’s sports drink.”

“Sometimes I forget you’re a jungle boy,” Sephiroth said. 

“Comes in handy though, don’t it?” Zack pulled the fish off the fire, wincing from the heat. “You want heads or tails.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“You get heads then,” Zack said. “I don’t like eating stuff that’s looking back at me, you know.” He roughly portioned the fish in two with a stick and served Sephiroth on a banana leaf. “Want some mango salsa to go with it?”

“Please.”

They tucked in together for a while. Zack did most of the talking, but that was quite normal. Sephiroth took his boot and a half off, and grumbled at the latest damage to his coat. “Quit griping,” Zack said, “you got like, what, half a dozen different ones in your closet. I’ve seen them.”

“I only wear those for special occasions,” Sephiroth said, nibbling another chunk of fish. 

“So special I haven’t seen you in them yet. That one with the red trim? Oh, and that sparkly belt thingy!”

“Special occasion, Zack.”

“Like Solstice?”

Sephiroth rolled his eyes. “Yes, Zack. If we get home before Solstice, I’ll put one on. In public, even.”

“Nice.” Zack folded his fish bones up in the banana leaf and set it aside. “Do your dishes, Seph. Were you raised in a barn?”

“Lab, actually,” Sephiroth said, following Zack’s example. “Several steps down from barn, I believe.”

“And then some,” Zack said. “Was that how you saw Hojo naked?”

Sephiroth nodded. “He… he caught fire once,” he said, looking askance. “His clothes came off in the safety shower.”

“Yikes.” Zack stared at the ocean. “So. Innie or outie?”

“His belly button or his dick?”

“Argh, you monster!” Zack said, tossing his banana leaf at Sephiroth. “Making me think of Hojo’s noodle on a Solstice season. You’re getting coal in your stocking. Just wait.”

Sephiroth ducked and laughed and fell back on the sand. “We should move further inland for the night. Find a tree, or make a shelter.”

“No need, a tent washed up.” Zack pointed at a pile of roughly sorted debris beyond the circle of the fire’s light. “I’ll set it up in a bit.”

“I’ll set it up,” Sephiroth said. “I’ve done nothing but lie here all day, and you’ve done… well, all of this.”

“You sure, Seph? I mean, I’m in my element, city boy, look at us, we’re living the dream here.”

“It’s fine, your turn to rest.”

“Aw, you’re so sweet, sometimes. But you’re still getting coal.”

Sephiroth swigged another coconut and got to work. Shinra issue tents made for a tight fit but they were easy to manage, and sturdy, and they could always move it in the morning.

“You know what would make it go faster?” Zack said. “Some music. Wanna sing with me?”

“I don’t sing,” Sephiroth said, slipping a tent pole into place.

“Okay, I’ll go solo. How about a few Solstice favorites? _Jingle bells, Palmer smells-_ "

“Not that one, Zack.”

“Aw. Okay, maybe something more traditional? _O little town of Nibelheim-_ "

“Not that one either.”

“Hey, you’re not leaving me with a lot of options here.” Zack crossed his arms and thought about it. “ _I’m gonna take my bird to the old town road-_ "

“Zack!”

“Sheesh. Silent Night kinda guy, aren’t you?”

“Tent’s up. Let’s sleep.” 

“Oh. Silent night indeed.”

“Only if you plan to be quiet,” Sephiroth said, and smirked.

***

They settled into a routine in the next two days. Breakfast of fruit. Burying the refuse. Picking over the latest things to wash ashore. Gathering water and firewood. Securing lunch, and dinner. And snacks. Swimming. Climbing. Working their tans.

Zack spent most of his day in shorts alone, growing golden brown beneath the sun. Sephiroth set his coat aside as a pillow and ripped the frayed hems off his combat pants, wading around barefoot all the day long. “A proper Gongagan childhood,” Zack was saying. Sephiroth outwardly agreed, all the while thinking it was the kind of thing that only existed in storybooks. It really was like living a dream. After dinner at night, he took to staring at the sea, out at the darkness, hoping to only see stars.

“It can’t last,” he told himself. “They’ll find us eventually. They’ll find me.”

But it was nice, in whatever time they had. And as they squeezed into the tent at night, spooning or more, he was determined to make the most of it. Solstice drew near, andd there were no planes overhead. No ships on the water. No moving lights at night. 

On Solstice Eve, they slept outdoors, in the open air. “This is nice,” Zack said. “Think if we stay up late enough, we’ll see Santa?”

“This isn’t exactly reindeer weather.”

“Reindeer are mythical, Seph, they can go wherever they want. Flying reindeer too, I bet they can go all over the place.”

“If they come here, Santa might feel obligated to take us home.”

“Oh. But we’d be in time for the big party! And the tree! And the ham!”

“Nothing wrong with kingfish. Or tilapia.” 

“Yeah, but it’s still a shame that lobster got away. A little spritz of juice from that lime tree we found, that’d be a Solstice Supper to remember.”

“Always food with you, Zack.”

“Not all food,” Zack said, inching closer. “Happy Solstice Eve, Seph.”

“Happy Solstice Eve.”

***

Sephiroth woke first, with the breaking of first light. There was fruit hanging securely in the tree, and tiny shellfish hiding just beneath the sand. But Sephiroth only tucked the foil blanket around Zack and went a for a short walk down the beach. Santa had not passed in the night, it had seemed. No nicely wrapped presents. No reindeer tracks. No lump of coal. Shame. Would have been great for the cooking.

The washed up debris from the wreckage had slowed down in the last few days, but there were still pickings here and there. A length of canvas. A knife or two. Chewing gum. Sephiroth stubbed his toe on something hard.

It was the flight communicator. Sephiroth turned it over with his foot. It was a little dented on the outside but these things were built to withstand falling in a reactor. There was no doubt in his mind once it dried off it would still work. They could call for help. They could get home in time for a late Solstice dinner. They could be back to work on the morrow, after a proper staff medical. Otherwise it could be who knew how many weeks before they were found. And they would be found. Shinra would never stop looking while they hoped he breathed. 

Sephiroth glanced back down the beach, at the sand growing gold beneath the rising of the sun. He took in the air, and the birds, the steady rush of the waters, and the black hair peeking out beneath a foil blanket. He turned back to the communicator and kicked it far into the sea.

Zack roused just as Sephiroth made it back to camp. “Morning, Seph. Happy Solstice,” he said. “Find anything interesting?”

“Not yet.” Sephiroth swooped in and gave him a peck on the forehead. “Happy Solstice, Zack. How about we go find that lobster?”


End file.
